Netsafe warns shoppers to check before they click as Black Friday nears
Online shopping scam reports to Netsafe fell in September, but the online safety organisation expects scammers to step up as New Zealanders start spending for Black Friday and Christmas.
Netsafe received 292 reports of online shopping scams in September, with reported losses of $58,300. In August it received 337 reports, with $146,800 in reported losses.
Netsafe said the drop came while household budgets were under pressure from winter power bills, fuel and grocery costs, leaving less room for spending on non-essentials. Non-food retail spending also usually dips over winter before rising towards the end of the year.
That makes October the time to get the warning out, before the end-of-year rush starts, Netsafe said.
Scammers follow the spending
Alex Yi, Netsafe's digital transformation and AI implementation lead, said scammers would be looking to take advantage of the rise in online shopping.
"The scammers are waiting for the shopping season to ramp up too – so now is the time to get your scam radar switched on," he said.
Yi said shoppers buying gifts or trying to make their money go further could get caught up in the excitement of a bargain and click before checking whether a seller or website is genuine. A few extra seconds spent checking can make a big difference, he said.
Netsafe's checks before you buy
Netsafe's advice for shopping online covers six points.
- Stop before you click. If a deal looks unusually cheap or there's pressure to buy straight away, take a moment to check it out.
- Check the seller. Look for independent reviews and search for information about the business, rather than relying on reviews or testimonials on its own website.
- Be wary of urgency. Countdown clocks, claims that stock is nearly gone and offers that last only a few minutes can be designed to make you act before you've had time to think.
- Check the website. Scammers can build convincing copies of real businesses' sites, so check the web address carefully.
- Think about payment. Be cautious if a seller asks you to pay outside a legitimate platform or by an unusual method.
- Protect your personal information. Give only what's needed to complete the purchase.
Netsafe is an independent charity that offers free, confidential support to anyone experiencing online harm. Scams and other online harm can be reported at netsafe.org.nz/report.